Strength Deployment Inventory 

New ideas, initiatives, programmes all have structure – a framework which provides us with what has to be done to ensure the success of the project. However, it is the people and the way they relate to each other that will dictate the degree of success achieved. Improving the quality of these relationships is where the SDI has immediate and long lasting impact.

The Strength Deployment Inventory is a learning resource that has been proved to be effective in building strong relationships worldwide for more than 25 years. It enables everyone to understand the reason why people do things rather than just observe and react to what is done.

More than this, the SDI identifies for individuals their personal strengths and motivations and how these relate to those of their colleagues – whether things are going well or badly. It demonstrates how to use these strengths effectively to improve working or personal relationships with others.

This paper-based questionnaire was developed in the USA during the 1970's by Dr Elias H. Porter Phd. and it has been used extensively throughout Europe since 1982.

The SDI is not a test which may list behavioural types and is not an instrument for selection. It is an inventory, which provides invaluable information on what motivates a person under two conditions: when everything is going well, and, when they are in conflict.

This is vital information because it means we can understand why certain people have the impact on us they do, and how we may be impacting on them! Furthermore, we learn how to recognise the real issues in relationships and how to tailor our language accordingly to communicate in more flexible and effective ways.

Recognising and dealing with inter-personal conflict is a crucial element in all relationships and especially within teams. The SDI provides insights into how to recognise the first signs of conflict in others and shows how to respond appropriately to resolve the dispute before it gets out of hand or unwittingly causes further antagonism.